Xdeep ghost or Dive Rite HydroLite or something else?

[carettacaretta]

Long time reader, first time signing up/posting. I am looking to finally make the jump and purchase a bcd.

I am a recreational diver as well as a marine biologist, so if the opportunity presents itself down the road where I’d find a career involving biology and diving (like underwater surveying or deploying cameras etc) I’d be interested in that, but I don’t have interest in tec diving at the moment at all. I have about 115 dives and have only used jackets, but I do have some issues with jackets that I think would resolve with a bp/w set up, though I’ve never been able to dive with one. Almost everyone seems to prefer them

I do travel almost exclusively for diving, so I am looking for a travel bp/w to use as my one and only setup. Something sturdy, well constructed, will last a lifetime or at least a very long time but still lightweight.

I think I have it narrowed down to the xdeep nx ghost deluxe and the dive rite hydrolite but am stuck in a bit of an analysis paralysis.

Pros to the ghost: lighter; I found one YouTuber mention it feels more robust than the hydrolite; it is a beautiful piece of gear with several color customization options (not a necessity, but a plus), they mention on their site that the smaller size at the top of the wing helps to keep you more upright when at the surface
Cons to the ghost: more expensive; the dump valve is in a weird position higher up on the wing; from videos online it looks like it tacos a bit

For the dive rite it’s basically the opposite
Pros to the hydrolite: cheaper; better position of the dump valve; doesn’t taco from the videos I have watched; its default color is blue which is the color I’m going for in my kit, not that that is a major factor
Cons: a touch heavier; some say it’s not as robust; some seem to prefer a more rigid backplate

Any chance someone out there has been diving with both of these options? Or can at least comment their experience using one of them? There might be pros/cons to one or the other that I haven't come across in my own research...It's hard to find many in depth reviews out there!
Is there another rig that I should consider that’s in the same weight and price range?
I’m a little overwhelmed with the idea of getting each piece from a different company and piecing together a custom option myself, so I do prefer a more or less complete set.

Thank you in advance to anyone who can help in any way!

 

[Jcp2]

Are you close to lauderdale? Aquí water sports has the xdeep in stock in various colors and configurations. You could even go on a dive with him renting a bp/w as that’s what they have and try for yourself to see the difference from a jacket bcd

 

[Shabaday]

Call Ryan at Aqui Watersports in Lauderdale by the sea...he deals with Xdeep. One thing if you have a longer torso then got the larger/longer backplate. I found the regular/small backplate on the Ghost puts the waist strap too high for me...I am 5'8 with a longer torso. It is a great BC...the only change I would make is using a 19" corrugated hose..the 16" hose seems to short to me

 

[carettacaretta]

Are you close to lauderdale? Aquí water sports has the xdeep in stock in various colors and configurations. You could even go on a dive with him renting a bp/w as that’s what they have and try for yourself to see the difference from a jacket bcd

I'm not close by right now, but I may be headed down that way in about 3 weeks. I'll definitely pop by there to at least see it in person, though I'll probably try to do a dive with him. It would give me a lot of peace of mind trying it on a dive and knowing if I like it or not before dropping $700+ on a kit!

 

[carettacaretta]

Call Ryan at Aqui Watersports in Lauderdale by the sea...he deals with Xdeep. One thing if you have a longer torso then got the larger/longer backplate. I found the regular/small backplate on the Ghost puts the waist strap too high for me...I am 5'8 with a longer torso. It is a great BC...the only change I would make is using a 19" corrugated hose..the 16" hose seems to short to me

I'll definitely try to stop by there in a few weeks. Thanks for the insight! Do you own the ghost then or did you just try it out?
I'm 5'11" with an average torso, so I will likely have to get the longer backplate, but that would be another thing that would be nice to check out in person!

 

[Shabaday]

Yes I own one....it is great...super lightweight....easy to travel....I do have the deluxe version as I have a bad shoulder and I need the quick release clips...you are definitely large backplate. I will say one complaint is that the weight pockets are cumbersome. The small was too small for me (did not hold enough weight) and the mediums are very long and take up real estate on the waist webbing. They nicely bolt up to the backplate for security but they seem like a lot of extra material...My GF has Zeagle weight pockets that connect to holes in a standard BP and they are vertical in nature. Zipper lets you put the weight into the pockets and they have independent dump handles...a much more streamlined weight pocket. I tried to fit them to the Xdeep Zen but it is not a direct fit...haven't tried yet to fit them to the Xdeep Ghost...

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

Take a look at the Sub Gravity bp/w system. You have a choice of 4 backplates, 5 wing sizes (5 colors), a one piece or simple stainless steel adjustable harness and it comes with 2 trim pockets.. Their wings don't require a single tank adapter, and have bungee retainers to prevent the taco effect. You can add 3 different types of weight pockets and trim pockets for on the backplate. Paragon Single Tank Package - Subgravity

 

[carettacaretta]

Yes I own one....it is great...super lightweight....easy to travel....I do have the deluxe version as I have a bad shoulder and I need the quick release clips...you are definitely large backplate. I will say one complaint is that the weight pockets are cumbersome. The small was too small for me (did not hold enough weight) and the mediums are very long and take up real estate on the waist webbing. They nicely bolt up to the backplate for security but they seem like a lot of extra material...My GF has Zeagle weight pockets that connect to holes in a standard BP and they are vertical in nature. Zipper lets you put the weight into the pockets and they have independent dump handles...a much more streamlined weight pocket. I tried to fit them to the Xdeep Zen but it is not a direct fit...haven't tried yet to fit them to the Xdeep Ghost...

Thanks for the heads up on the weight pockets! I am thin, so I'm curious how much space the size M pockets would leave me with. If you end up trying to fit the zeagle pockets to the ghost, I'd be interested to hear if you're successful with it.

 

[carettacaretta]

Take a look at the Sub Gravity bp/w system. You have a choice of 4 backplates, 5 wing sizes (5 colors), a one piece or simple stainless steel adjustable harness and it comes with 2 trim pockets.. Their wings don't require a single tank adapter, and have bungee retainers to prevent the taco effect. You can add 3 different types of weight pockets and trim pockets for on the backplate. Paragon Single Tank Package - Subgravity

I haven't come across subgravity before, but they do look good! I'm hoping to keep everything under 3kg and that one is a bit over, but it doesn't restrict me as much if I would ever want to get into tec in the future (though I really don't think that'll happen...I get a bit claustrophobic underwater, so I can't see myself ever wanting to do serious cave diving or wreck exploration!)

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

I haven't come across subgravity before, but they do look good! I'm hoping to keep everything under 3kg and that one is a bit over, but it doesn't restrict me as much if I would ever want to get into tec in the future (though I really don't think that'll happen...I get a bit claustrophobic underwater, so I can't see myself ever wanting to do serious cave diving or wreck exploration!)

I have their aluminum backplate/26 lb wing and adjustable harness that I use just for travel.